Sir Manasupe commends SABL Implementatio Taskforce

Chief Secretary to Government, Sir Manasupe Zurenuoc, OBE Kt, has applauded the Special Agriculture & Business Leases (SABL) Implementation Taskforce, for the outstanding report to implement the recommendations found during the Commission of Inquiry into SABLs.

This special taskforce is comprised of Dr Laurence Sause (Chair & Policy and Government Advisor) and two retired public servants - Kutt Paonga (Legal advisor) and Daniel Katakumb (Land Advisor).

Sir Manasupe said in 2011 the government set up a Commission of Inquiry into SABLs, which found that

many leases needed to be revoked.
He said the government then referred the matter to a ministerial committee to implement the findings of that particular inquiry.

“However, the ministerial committee could not progress much for various reasons,” Sir Manasupe said.
He said towards the end of 2014, Cabinet set up a special taskforce – SABL Implementation Taskforce, under the Chief Secretary, to look at means and ways on how to effectively implement the COI findings.
“Currently the laws are complicated and ineffective to revoke these leases therefore amendments to the legislation will be considered.

“From the report provided by this special taskforce, the government now has a clear way to implement the revocation of non-genuine leases.
“I commend the taskforce for a job well done in making it easier for the government to move forward,” Sir Manasupe said.

He said the taskforce has advised the government on how best to implement the findings of the COI.
“Out of the 75 SABLs throughout the country, only 42 SABL reports were provided by only two members of the commission – Nicholas Mirou and John Numapo, who provided finding recommendations that 30 were to be cancelled, 11 to be suspended and that only one SABL was in order.

“The other 30 SABL reports, however, have not been received by the government hence the government is now pursuing other actions to obtain them,” Sir Manasupe said.
He also announced that the report is now ready to go before Cabinet for approval.

“In the not too distant future, the government hopes that some of the land will be returned to landowners,” Sir Manasupe said.